Dietitian Advice Newsletter

October 2013

The month of haunted houses and pumpkins is here! Many of us share a love for the fall weather along with pumpkins. Pumpkins are not only great to carve, but great nutritionally.

In this newsletter, a bit of information on the gourd family (including the pumpkin) is given and find out where I had the large honor to speak this month. As promised, a brief summary about my approach and why it works better than traditional nutrition sessions.

Healthy Regards,

Kathryn Fink

In This Issue

The Gourd Family

FNCE talk

Why my approach is better than traditional approach

Meet the New Intern

Featured Recipe - Acorn Squash

Archive

Dietitian Information

The Gourd Family

In the gourd family, pumpkins also have other well-known relatives you might encounter while in the grocery store:

butternut squash
acorn squash
spaghetti squash

These all share similar nutritional content, particularly Vitamin A. This vitamin is vital for achieving healthy skin, maintaining skeletal components and mucus membranes. This is especially key for the dry weather prominent in the fall.

These vegetables share similar nutritional value that we should all take heed to be creative with not only carving them, but eating them.

Squash	Characteristics	Significant Vitamins
Pumpkin	Rounded and orange in color, range in size, buttery flavored	Vitamin A
Butternut	Golden color, sweet and nutty tasting	Vitamin A and C
Acorn	fibrous texture, yellow in color and sweet taste	Vitamin A, B₆, C
Spaghetti	Stringy in texture, like spaghetti	Vitamin A

FNCE talk

I was quite honored to be a speaker at the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics national conference last week, where over 7,000 nutrition professions attended to hear about the latest in food and nutrition. My talk, "Bariatric Surgery: Polishing off the Tarnish for Success" was to educate dietitians on the success I have had working with weight management and post op bariatric clients in recognizing and working with complications individuals face, as well as how to avoid having these problems. See key take home points for overall wellness and why it is important to find the right approach below.

Why my approach is better than traditional sessions

We all "know" we need to eat more fruits and vegetables and get healthy movement for our bodies, but something gets in the way. Going to a person who only spends their time educating you on what you should be doing does not work for most people. Here are just a few items that sessions with me include:

I use motivational interviewing to work with my clients where they are at.
My skills build on the positive progress an individual has had and helps move a person forward faster.
I am able to pull out change talk and hidden motivations and bring out key concepts clients often do not realize is in them.
My clients are in the driver's seat and I am the navigator. Think about it like any great athlete has a coach that works with them.
My counseling and coaching skills combine my nutrition expertise with my skills of addressing emotional reasons why clients do and do not do healthy patterns.

Meet the New Intern

I am pleased to welcome intern Florence Dontoh from TWU. She will be offering fresh ideas and assisting me in my private practice and consulting business.

Featured Recipe

Acorn Squash

This is a winter squash, but in the same family as the summer squash and zucchini. Look for some partial yellow/orange color on the skin to give a clue on maturity. Too much color is too mature. A nice size should range between one to three pounds. Try to avoid squash with soft spots on it.

1 acorn squash
1/2 Tablespoon Margarine or butter (1/4 tbsp on each half)

Directions on how to cook

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Cut acorn squash in half using a chef's knife and remove seeds and strings with a spoon. Discard seeds and strings.
Place the acorn squash cut side up on a baking sheet. Pierce with a fork and add butter and add whatever spice you feel matches your palette for the day (see suggestions below).
Add some water to the baking pan to prevent charring (burning) of skin. Bake for an hour or until very soft and top has browned.
Be careful when taking out of the oven as it will be hot. Let it cool.

Variations:

Any of the following spices can be added to create a sweet delicacy: honey, cinnamon, nutmeg, all spice, maple syrup.

Any of the following spices can be added to create a savory delicacy: sage or sage leaves, sea salt, seasoned salt, white pepper, garlic.

Storage tip: when done baking and completely cooled off, you can scoop the acorn squash and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can add this to your soups, casseroles or as a side dish.

Archive
Past Newsletters

Kathryn Fink,

MS, RD, CSSD, LD, CEDRD

Nutrition & Fitness Consultant

I believe "There's always room for ice cream and chocolate!" My practice can assist you in your journey to a healthy relationship with food and balance in your life.

Phone
214-850-9573

Location
1110 Cottonwood Lane
Suite L200
Irving, Texas 75038

Email

contact@dietitianadvice.com

Website